INDIAN RIVER SHORES — Reconstruction of Old Winter Beach Road will begin by the end of March now that the Town Council has OK'd spending $1.4 million for the project.

The road, at the northern boundary of the town, has been prone to severe flooding during hurricanes. The west end floods even during some routine rain events.

Town officials have been considering the improvements for some time, but recently received two grants that will cover more than $1 million of the cost.

However, right-of-way permit disagreements with Indian River County have stalled the project since January as the town and county tried to work out changes required to move construction forward.

The county, for example, wanted an additional half-inch of asphalt over the already-proposed two-inch asphalt layer, something county Public Works Director Rich Szpyrka said was necessary if the road was to meet minimum state safety requirements for roads with an estimated 3,000 trips per day.

Town Engineer David Knight, though, estimated the road carries only 1,000 vehicles per day. He said he would certify that number, allowing work to move ahead with two inches of asphalt.

At Thursday’s council meeting, Szpyrka said he would work with Knight to make sure the project could move forward.